Twenty-seven-year-old Stephen Perry is facing conspiracy to commit murder charges. He's being held at the Hamilton County Jail on a $250,000 bond.

Police say Perry told a co-worker he wanted his estranged wife dead. That man initially thought Perry was joking but on Dec. 8 he recorded two conversations with Perry on a cellphone in which Perry allegedly offered him $15,000 to either kill his wife or arrange her murder.

The co-worker gave Perry's wife the recordings and she turned them over to police.

Perry's wife told officers they were in the midst of divorcing and were $200,000 in debt, mostly due to her living expenses and college tuition.